Ben sat on the edge of Johnny's couch, trying to wrap his mind around everything that had just happened. Johnny leaned back in his chair, equally stunned, the two of them staring at the TV screen, where the news was reporting on a string of violent incidents across the city.
"That… did not just happen," Ben muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair.
"I don't even know how to process this," Johnny replied, looking at the police scanner in disbelief. "Matt knows you're Spider-Man. He knew."
"I don't get it either," Ben said, shaking his head. "How could he know? I've never even met the guy before as Spider-Man."
Johnny leaned forward. "And then he just casually drops a bombshell—'you're not the only vigilante in New York.' What does that even mean? I'm starting to feel like I'm the only guy in this city who doesn't know what's going on."
Ben sighed, rubbing his temples. "Maybe he meant there's other heroes, other… vigilantes, like me. But if that's true, then why hasn't he said anything before? I didn't even know there were other people doing what I'm doing."
Johnny frowned, deep in thought. Then, as if to punctuate their confusion, the police radio suddenly crackled to life. The two boys exchanged a glance.
"Attention all units, there is a confirmed break-in at St. George's Hospital. Suspect is armed and dangerous. All units respond immediately."
Ben immediately stood up. "Looks like we've got something else to deal with. I'll check it out."
Johnny's eyes widened. "You're not going alone, right? I mean, what if it's another vampire?"
Ben put on his mask and turned to Johnny. "I'll be fine. You stay here, just in case I need backup. I'll call if things go south."
Johnny gave him a thumbs-up. "Be careful, man."
St. George's Hospital – Midnight
The hospital was eerily quiet when Ben swung in through a shattered window, landing silently on the floor. The red emergency lights flickered ominously above him, casting a dull glow over the abandoned hallway.
Ben crouched low, his senses on high alert. A soft growl echoed from further down the corridor, and he instinctively tightened his grip on a nearby light fixture, ready to strike.
He moved swiftly down the hallway, ducking behind corners and scanning for signs of life. The growl came again, this time louder, accompanied by the sound of claws scraping against the tile floor.
Morbius, Ben realized, his heart racing.
He turned the corner and came face to face with the vampire.
The creature snarled, revealing its fangs, before it lunged at him. Ben barely managed to sidestep, launching himself into the air and landing on the edge of a nearby gurney.
"Jeez, you could use some Listerine, buddy," Ben quipped, using his webs to yank a nearby crash cart toward him. He swung it at Morbius, who dodged with unsettling speed.
The vampire hissed. "You cannot escape me, Spider-Man."
"Oh, I'm not running away, trust me," Ben shot back, firing webs to latch onto a nearby ceiling light and flipping forward into a spinning kick.
Morbius was quick, though, and his claws collided with Ben's chest, sending him crashing into a wall. Pain shot through Ben's body as he struggled to stay upright.
"What the hell, man?" Ben grunted, grabbing a nearby IV stand and swinging it like a baseball bat. He struck Morbius square in the chest, but the vampire only staggered back before charging at him again.
Their battle raged through the hospital, Ben using every tool at his disposal—from defibrillators to hospital beds—to fight back. But Morbius was relentless. His claws slashed at Ben's suit, and his unholy strength was beginning to take its toll.
Finally, Morbius caught Ben mid-air, his powerful grip squeezing the life out of him. The vampire's fangs flashed in the dim light as he positioned himself to bite.
Ben's mind raced. He reached for his utility belt, pulling out a vial of holy water. With a desperate yell, he hurled it at Morbius.
Nothing.
The holy water sizzled as it hit the floor, failing to even faze the vampire.
"Oh, come on!" Ben spat in frustration.
With claws raised high, Morbius prepared to strike.
Then, suddenly—
BANG!
A loud gunshot rang out through the sterile halls of the hospital. Morbius's head exploded in a burst of dark mist and blood, his body collapsing to the floor with a sickening thud.
Ben, barely able to catch his breath, pushed the lifeless body off of him, gasping for air.
"What the hell just happened?" he muttered, still trying to comprehend what had just occurred.
He looked up, his eyes widening when he saw a shadow standing above him. A weathered, older man, dressed in a combat vest adorned with a skull emblem, reached out a gloved hand.
Ben hesitated for a moment before taking the man's hand, allowing him to pull him up to his feet.
"You okay?" the older man asked, his voice gravelly.
"Yeah, I think so. Thanks for the help," Ben replied, rubbing his sore shoulder.
Without another word, the man turned to walk away, his boots echoing through the hospital halls.
"Wait!" Ben called, trying to catch up. "Who the hell are you?"
The man glanced over his shoulder. "Ask Matt about the Punisher."
Before Ben could respond, the man disappeared into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as he'd appeared.
Ben stared at the empty hallway, his mind whirling. "Punisher? Sounds like a bad 80s rock band," he muttered to himself, still shaken by the strange encounter.
Suddenly, the sound of sirens filled the air, growing louder with each passing second. The police were on their way.
Ben didn't need to be caught here. With one last look at Morbius's lifeless body, he webbed himself out of the hospital and into the night.
Elsewhere in New York City
In the high-rise office of Wilson Fisk, also known as Kingpin, the criminal overlord sat in his chair, his fingers steepled together in deep thought. The dim light from the city outside cast an ominous shadow across his face.
The door to his office creaked open, and a man in a sharp suit stepped inside, holding a briefcase.
"Boss," the man began, his tone nervous. "Norman says Project Scorpion is ready."
Kingpin's eyes narrowed as a slow, menacing smile crept across his face.
"Good," he replied, his voice low and dangerous. "The end of Spider-Man is near."
The man nodded, stepping back as the Kingpin stood, a dark glint in his eyes. He gazed out at the city below, a city he would soon control, with Spider-Man out of the picture for good.
"Soon, the city will bow to me," Kingpin muttered. "And nothing—nothing—will stand in my way."
The plan was already set into motion, and Spider-Man wouldn't be able to stop it.
Chapter End.